This invention relates to a dryer for drying photographs that have been sprayed with a protective lacquer coating and a method of drying which includes capturing and removal of the solvent elements from the lacquer as it is drying in order to meet environmental and safety standards for equipment of this type.
For many years it has been common practice in preserving photographs to spray them with a clear lacquer material that when dry, provides a hard protective coating that retains the original developed photographic emulsions in a safe and attractive condition. As the concerns over the effects of the solvents released in lacquer coating operations have increased, it has become necessary to make sure that the amount of solvents in the air surrounding the drying machines is kept to a bare minimum so as not to jeopardize the health or safety of the operators of the machine or others in the immediate area around the coating operations.